Zechariah

Zechariah, chapter 1, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 1 New English Translation

Introduction

   1 In the eighth month of Darius' second year, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah, son of Berechiah son of Iddo, as follows:
   2 The LORD was very angry with your ancestors. 3 Therefore say to the people: The LORD who rules over all says, "Turn to me," says the LORD who rules over all, "and I will turn to you," says the LORD who rules over all. 4 "Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the former prophets called out, saying, 'The LORD who rules over all says, "Turn now from your evil wickedness, "' but they would by no means obey me," says the LORD. 5 "As for your ancestors, where are they? And did the prophets live forever? 6 But have my words and statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, not outlived your fathers? Then they paid attention and confessed, 'The LORD who rules over all has indeed done what he said he would do to us, because of our sinful ways.'"

The Introduction to the Visions

   7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month Shebat, in Darius' second year, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo, as follows:

The Content of the First Vision

   8 I was attentive that night and saw a man seated on a red horse that stood among some myrtle trees in the ravine. Behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.

The Interpretation of the First Vision

   9 Then I asked one nearby, "What are these, sir?" The angelic messenger who replied to me said, "I will show you what these are." 10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees spoke up and said, "These are the ones whom the LORD has sent to walk about on the earth." 11 The riders then agreed with the angel of the LORD, who was standing among the myrtle trees, "We have been walking about on the earth, and now everything is at rest and quiet." 12 The angel of the LORD then asked, "LORD who rules over all, how long before you have compassion on Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah which you have been so angry with for these seventy years?" 13 The LORD then addressed good, comforting words to the angelic messenger who was speaking to me. 14 Turning to me, the messenger then said, "Cry out that the LORD who rules over all says, 'I am very much moved for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 But I am greatly displeased with the nations that take my grace for granted. I was a little displeased with them, but they have only made things worse for themselves.

The Oracle of Response

   16 "'Therefore,' says the LORD, 'I have become compassionate toward Jerusalem and will rebuild my temple in it,' says the LORD who rules over all. 'Once more a surveyor's measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.' 17 Speak up again with the message of the LORD who rules over all: 'My cities will once more overflow with prosperity, and once more the LORD will comfort Zion and validate his choice of Jerusalem.'"

Vision Two: The Four Horns

   18 (1) Once again I looked and this time I saw four horns. 19 So I asked the angelic messenger who spoke with me, "What are these?" He replied, "These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem." 20 Next the LORD showed me four blacksmiths. 21 I asked, "What are these going to do?" He answered, "These horns are the ones that have scattered Judah so that there is no one to be seen. But the blacksmiths have come to terrify Judah's enemies and cut off the horns of the nations that have thrust themselves against the land of Judah in order to scatter its people."

King James Version

   1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
   2 The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers.
   3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.
   4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.
   5 Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?
   6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.
   7 ¶ Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
   8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.
   9 Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.
   10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.
   11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
   12 ¶ Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
   13 And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.
   14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
   15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
   16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.
   17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
   18 ¶ Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.
   19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.
   20 And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.
   21 Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.